Silver heart
by Fairchildjace
Summary: Caroline and her family are red: commoners, humble, destined to serve a silver elite whose supernatural powers turn them almost gods. Inspired in the Red queen book.
1. Chapter 1

**_Hello everyone,_**

 ** _thisfic is based on my newest obsession, the Red Queen book. In this story Caroline takes Mare place and Klaus is kind of Cal - yeah I couldn't stop creating parallels while I read the book. I know that the book has that amazing plot twist, but I just couldn't make one of the originals betray the other that much. So it will be quite close to the Red Queen in the begining but later in the story it will be a little/ a lot different._**

 ** _I hope you guys enjoy it!_**

 ** _Oh and please if you do not like do not come being mean to me, just go to your next story. Seriously if you don't like it I'm sorry._**

 ** _._**

* * *

 ** _It's our nature. We destroy. It's the constant of our kind. No matter the color of blood, man will always fall_**

\- _Red Queen,_ _Victoria Aveyard._

* * *

In school they thought about the gods that once habited earth, they say that they were good, beautiful and merciful. Caroline never believed in those stories.

"What do you think it is his power?" Stefan asked.

Stefan was Caroline's best friend since she was seven years old. His father along with Caroline's father went to war, but only her father came back. Stefan's mother went mad without her husband and killed herself, leaving Stefan to be raised by his brother Damon. The older brother found Stefan a job so he wouldn't have to go to war, but he didn't care to find one for him. So when they were 14 Damon left to the battlefield and asked Caroline's father to look out for his little brother.

Ever since Stefan's mother left he and Caroline became quite close. He was like a brother to her and she had a very protective feeling over him. She couldn't bear that he had already suffered too much through his life, she needed to protect him whatever the costs.

Caroline's destiny was the war, she had no job and that was what happened to the jobless, they went to war. Her little sister, Elena, was wonderful on everything. She was the one the whole family was proud of, she had the gift of sewing and she was one of the bests at it. Elizabeth and Bill Forbes were always saying how much Caroline should be like her younger sister, always comparing them.

Most of the family was destined to the war, both her parents went and that was where they fell in love. They were only dismissed because her father almost lost his legs on the battlefield and stayed in a coma for a year; her mother in the contrary got dismissed with honor of her good job. She ended up working with Lady Gilbert, a great silver commander and together they won the war in the south.

"He is definitely a strongarm." Caroline answered.

"That is an obviously one! I'm talking about the other guy" he pointed to the small men on the other side of the arena.

"Maybe a magnetron?" she tried.

"Don't think so. Magnetrons normally have silver all over their clothes." Her friend than turned to a man on his side to find out the other man power.

Only silver people could fight in the arenas. That was how they showed their power and force to the reds. The arenas were a message: we are stronger and invincible; _we are gods_. While the arena was only a way of entertainment for the silver, it was a way to deceive and put the reds in their places.

The fight started with the strongarm attacking the other man with full force. It had only been five minutes of fight and it was almost won. _Almost_. That was when the strongarm suddenly fell on the ground and started hitting himself.

"He is a whisper" Caroline muttered.

Whispers were silver who could read, and control other people minds. They were really rare among silvers and considered quite dangerous. Caroline had never seen one.

The strongarm started bleeding. That was the true difference among reds and silvers. The appearances were the same, nothing in the exterior showed the different. The thing that determined who were worth it and who weren't was in the inside. Blood. Their blood was silver, while the normal people had red blood. _Their blood is a threat, a warning, a promise. We are not the same and never will be._

The strongarm was now being forced to stab himself. Stab his heart. He dropped on the floor, but continued passing the sword through his body. The guards started to drive them out of the arena. They couldn't see a silver die because it would show that silvers are normal people just like red. They are not immortals. If reds saw them dying they would realize that they are not gods like they make reds believe they are. And that would be enough to give hope.

"Keep your hands to yourself" Stefan whispered. "There are too many guards" and took her hand in his arm.

Caroline was the older that still lived in her house, so she felt like she had to protect and take care of her family. But she was jobless, so the only way to get the money her family needed was by stealing. She was a thief. Actually one of the bests in town.

* * *

"So tell me, sweetie, how was work today?" Caroline's mother, Elizabeth, asked Elena.

"It was awesome! We sold a lot! You guys should see how much these silver spend in clothes!"

Elena with her job got to enter in the silver villa where the royal family and the lords stayed during the summer. She went there with boss to sell their clothes. Caroline thank God that her sister got to deal with those silver because Elena was the only one in the family who had patience to deal with them.

It was quite hard to not be jealous of her sister, everyone loved her. There was not a single soul who didn't like her sister. Elena was perfect. She was beautiful, gentle and loving. Actually between her two sisters were quite difficult to compete. Katherine was quite the opposite of Elena but her energy mixed with her beauty made her quite difficult to forget or resist. There was not a single man who didn't want her. And she couldn't forget about her older brother, Matt, he was the perfect guy just like Elena.

Caroline always felt left behind among her siblings. She always felt like she wasn't enough and could never be. She never did something that would make her parents proud of her and that really broke her heart.

"Oh I almost forget" her father suddenly got up. "Today we receive a letter from Katherine" and passed the envelope to Caroline.

 _Dear family,_

 _I'm well. We retreated from front battle. It is good to be back at main groups. Here everything is red as the dawn; you can barely see the silver officers. I'm chancing commanders but I do not know to whom I will be destined to. I've met a doctor who said that knew Matty and told me that he is fine and being the perfect good boy we all know and love. I hope you are all fine and well. And please Carebear try to not freak out that your birthday is getting closer. Actually I'm talking to everyone I know for you to get sent to my group. And Elena try to not get too cocky._

 _I miss you all so very much_

 _Xoxo, Kitkat your favorite daughter 3_

 _-Caroline do not read this out loud –I happened to stumble into Damon Salvatore, thank you Elena for hocking up with my exboyfriend._

"At least she moved away from the front" her mother said relieved. Elizabeth Forbes protected her sons like a bear and she hated that they had to be sent away.

"I wish Matty could write! I hate not knowing what is happening with him!" Elena stated angrily.

"But he can't and we have to deal with this. I'm pretty sure he will be back soon. Matt is good and a wonderful soldier, he was born to this" Caroline hated her little sister started complaining about everything that they can't do or don't have. It wasn't like they could do something about it, so why lose their time thinking about it?

"I know, Care. I just wish we had news, I'm worried about him"

"We all are, sweetie" Bill answered and kissed his daughter cheek before taking the plates from the table.

"Dad, did you use the energy cards I gave you?" she already knew the answer but always hoped that it would one day surprise her.

"You mean the ones that you stole?" her mother interrupted before her father could say something. And then a loud noise echoed through the house and the energy faded. "Does that answer your question?"

"C'mon, Lena, let's go to bed" she caught her sister and dragged her to the attic where they slept

"I'm not a kid anymore, Care. You guys should stop treating me like one! I already am 16!" she stated as she got up her bed.

"I know Lena but you can be 80 that you will still be my baby sister!" Caroline kissed her sister and went to her bed.

She was about to start sleeping when she heard the whistling. She was going to kill Stefan.

She went out of the house without making a sound as usual. When she got their secret spot she was about to yell at him for waking her, until she noticed that he was crying. "What happened?"

"My… my… my master... he… he died…. He died, Caroline" Stefan couldn't stop sobbing. "I'm… I'm…"

"Jobless" she finished his sentence.

"And I turn 18 next week" Stefan concluded.

They both stayed there crying and comforting each other the whole night.

* * *

Caroline went to the only person she knew could help: Lorenzo. He was the owner of the black market and her number client.

"What do you have for me, gorgeus?" he asked as she approached.

"Do you know a place where silver couldn't find us?" she asked out of the blue.

"I don't know what you are talking about, and I don't want to know!" he stated and got inside his trailer closing the door.

Caroline started leaving when Enzo got her by the arm and pulled her inside the trailer.

"Stay quiet and listen" she nodded at his command. "This is Lexi and she can help you". The woman Enzo pointed was a pretty tall blonde. She had a scar on the side of her face and beautiful green eyes.

"You want to transport a cargo?" Lexi asked.

"It will be and another boy" Caroline replied.

"Cargo." She corrected Caroline with a look full of meaning. "What would be the destiny?"

Caroline try to remember the map on her classroom and all the place that it has, but she couldn't. None of the ones she remembered where safe from silver.

"Anywhere the silver can't touch us" she finally answer

"Sure" but something in Lexi's tone made Caroline sure she shouldn't cheer just yet. "I can transport your cargo the next Tuesday, but know that safety has a price, girl"

"Everything has a price, girl" Caroline replied in the same tone. "No one knows that better than I do"

After what it seemed an eternity Lexi speaks. "The Scarlet Guard accept you, Caroline Forbes"

The woman gives Caroline a wicked smile as she notices that the girl is waiting for her terms. "The payment is in cash, a thousand crowns"

Caroline loses her air. Even Enzo got surprised with the amount of money the woman demanded. She would never get enough money, not even if she stole the their entire village. All her hope crashed within seconds.

"The amount can be in ballots, tetrarchs coins or in goods. And it is one thousand crowns each cargo, of course"

Two thousand crowns. A fortune. Their freedom costed a fortune.

"The payment is at the act." Lexi completed. "Do you accept the terms?"

Caroline needed to get the money in two days. Two days. She would never make it, not even for only one of them. It was impossible. It was more than she had stolen her whole life. There was no change.

"I need more time" Caroline begged

Lexi denied only with a little movement on her head.

"Do you accept the terms?"

It was impossible. It was stupid. _It was their best change._

"I Accept"

* * *

'-

Caroline could see Stefan hopeful face from miles. She already knew what he would say, what would be his answer. But she had to tell him even so. They couldn't act like everyone else and accept the cruelty of this system.

As she approaches she notices that he can read her face as his hopeful expression turns into worry. "Let me guess: bad news?" he tried to keep his calm façade, but his tone falters.

"They can take us out of here" and then she explained all the demands. Her tone was calm; at least she tried for him. Two thousand crowns must be the price of a king's throne, but Caroline tried to make it seem like it was nothing.

"If someone can do this, we are them. _We can do this, Stefan_ "

"Care…" his voice was cold, colder than the winter but his look was empty, what made everything worse. "It is over. We lost"

"But, what if…" before she could finish Stefan put his hands on her shoulders making her stop. His strong grip didn't hurt, but Caroline got shocked as it hurt.

"Don't do this to me, Care" he sighed. "Don't make me believe that there is a way out. Don't give me hope"

He was right. It was cruel to give hope when there is none. It would only give him frustration, resent and anger: everything that makes life even harder than what already is.

"Just let me accept. Maybe… Maybe this way I'll be able to train right and have a chance at combat" he begged.

Caroline got hold of in hands. Her grip was stronger than his. "You talk as if you are already dead"

"Maybe I am" the coldness is back at his voice.

"My siblings-" Caroline tried.

"Your mother made quite sure they knew what to do and how to survive"

"Your brother, Damon…" She begined again.

"My father prepared him quite right before dying. Your parents also trained him as they trained your siblings. And let's not even forget that the fact that he is the size of this house helps a lot. Oh and his charm is very helpful also" He tries a smile trying to make Caroline smile. It doesn't work.

"I'm a good swimmer" he continues. "They will need me in the lakes"

Only when he hugged Caroline she realized she was shaking. "Stefan…" she begins, but the next words didn't got out. _It should had been her._ But her time would come quick. All she could hope was that he would survive enough time so they would get to be together once more.

"Thank you, Caroline. For everything" he lets her go quickly without giving her time to get herself back together. "If you save money, than maybe you will have enough when they comes to you" and with that he leaved her alone to the hot wind of the summer.

Caroline went back to her bed pretty sure she wouldn't be able to sleep that night. Stefan might have given up, but she hadn't. She wasn't letting him die. She had to save him. Caroline spent the entire night thinking. That until she listened Elena sneezes.

Her little sister also loved Stefan. Not in the same way that Caroline, but even so. Last year they kind of have a little romance, but it stopped after Stefan's brother came back from war to spent a few days home and he hook up with Elena. Caroline had no idea how that was possible since her little sister always had this immense crush on Stefan, and let's not forget Damon was their older sister ex, and a complete asshole. Elena still loved Stefan, they might have not talked ever since, but Caroline knew that she still did. There was no way Elena would allow Stefan simply go to war.

"Lena. Wake up" Caroline called for her but she didn't listen to me. "Lena, please wake up" she shock her sister.

"What is it, Caroline?" Elena asked annoyed. "You know that sometimes I want to kill you?" Elena mumbled angry as she opened her eyes.

"Beautiful" the blonde answer sarcastically. "Now wake up and listen to me"

"I'm listening" Caroline could feel the anger in Elena's voice. Yep her sister hated when someone woke her.

"It is about Stefan" Caroline only needed to mention the name of her best friend that her sister face changed completely.

"What about Stefan, Care?" the anger suddenly changed into worry and curiosity.

So Caroline told her the entire story.

"What do I have to do?" Elena inquire already ready for any task it is needed.

It hurted Caroline to involve her little sister but there is no other way.

* * *

Mystic Falls was the silver summer village. As they approached Caroline noticed it was shining.

"It is made of diamonds. The silvers found a way to burn it and mix with other substances. It is totally impenetrable. Not even a bomb could destroy it" Elena explained.

 _Diamond walls. Just like Gods._

"It seems necessary"

"Head down. Let me do all the talking" Elena commanded.

Caroline followed her 16 year old sister with her eyes locked on the streets that were changing between black and cracked to beautiful with rocks. As they approached the city Caroline tried to see what was inside it. It was only a summer town, but even so was the biggest city Caroline had ever seen. It was beautiful. The streets were full of people, stores, bars, restaurants, houses and squares: everything turned to a monstrosity made of diamond and gold. The Sun Palace. It shined like a star. It is sublime, intimidating, magnificent - and it was only the summer house.

"Names" a voice screamed. Elena stopped at the act.

"Elena Forbes. This is my sister Caroline Forbes. She is helping me bring a few items for my mistress." Elena's voice was firm. In that moment Caroline saw what her little sister said last night that she wasn't a little girl anymore. Elena was a woman.

The man got Caroline's backpack and started inspect it while Elena gave they their IDs. The man who was inspecting than must had known her sister Caroline thought since he barely read her ID.

"Wrists" he demanded and both of the girls do so. He put a red bracelet on both of them. That tight bracelet was a way to remind the different between them - like the clothes weren't enough.

The guard allowed them to pass. Elena guided Caroline towards a blue tend. "Jenna's store is over here. If you need me there is where I will be" Caroline could notice her sister's worry.

"I won't need it" Caroline fast answered. "Even if everything goes wrong I won't drag you with me"

"Great" Elena hated being left out, but she also loved her job.

Caroline was about to leave when the brunet got hold of her wrist. "Be careful" she warned. "Today here is full, more than the normal"

"More places to hide" Caroline replied giving a small smile.

Elena's face is serious "More agents too". She squeezed Caroline's hand and disappeared inside the store.

That was her best change. Stefan's best chance. Caroline couldn't blow it.


	2. Chapter 2

**_Time stand still, yet everything turns to dust_**

 ** _- Great Expectations, _**_Charles Dickens_

* * *

Caroline had done that hundreds of times. All she had to do was watch the crowd as a wolf and then walk among them with her head down and hands dancing. She had to find the fools , slows and silly. But this time she feels like the prey. She might chose a cloner who would catch her within minutes, or a whisper who would know what she was going to do before doing so. Even the little telek girl is powerful than her. So she needs to be faster, stronger, smarter. She needs more luck than usual. She is not among stupid and tired red. No. She is among smart and power silver. She is among gods.

The good thing is that the so called gods do not pay any attention in another red maid. For them she is only in insect flying in their feet. Waiting to be smashed.

Caroline went back to the square with her arms flying loose but prepared. This is her game: walk among the fullest parts of the crows and allow her hands to grab purses, watches, wallets, just like spiders grab flies. Caroline wasn't dumb enough to make this among the silvers, especially in a square filled with agents and powerful silvers. Instead of her usual move she actually follow the crowed standing around the square. Her vision wasn't blurred by the wonderful scenario happening around her. She could see quite clearly the agents wondering around, hiding behind the statues or standing right in front of her.

As she walked, the 'wonderful' silver world appeared to her eyes. They never smiled to each other. Actually, they barely looked to each other. The little telek girl was tired of playing with her doll and the tradesman never bargained. Only the red seemed alive. Although the sun burning in her skin and the hot weather, Caroline had never seen a place as cold as this.

What worried Caroline the most were the cameras. She could feel their presence. She could feel their little ways searching for people like her around the crowd. _What had she gotten herself into? It was impossible._ She would never be able to steal anything there.

Caroline followed the crowd till the main street filled with bars and cafés. There were silvers sitting outside watching the crowd while enjoying their drinks. Some watched videos in monitors hanging in the walls. Each of them showed something different, from old fights till news. The shriek of the monitors and the distant wheezing of the image buzz together inside her head. Caroline can't understand how they bear it. The silver watch the screens as if there was nothing buzzing.

Caroline caught herself admiring the Suns Palace but suddenly forced her to stop. A loud sound - a buzzer. The sound came from the bar near. She entered as curiosity got best of her. It came from the monitor. Actually, all the monitors. They all showed the same image. When the sound ends the imagine changes and started showing a blonde woman – silver - and scared. She started reading a record.

"Silvers from Norta, we apologize for interrupting. Thirteen minutes ago there was a terrorist attack in the capital.

There were explosions focused on the governmental buildings in the east of New Orleans. The Court, The Treasure House and the Original Palace had been damaged. Neither the Court nor the treasury were in session this morning. "

The blonde got out of scene to give space to the imagine of a building in flames. Security agents evacuated the buildings while nymphs shot water towards the flames. Healers could be identified running from once side to the other with black and red crosses on their arms. Caroline could hear the silvers around her worried and angry.

"The royal family weren't on their resident in New Orleans and there is no death confirmed until the moment. King Mikael must address its population later in the evening. " and with that the screens went back to the programs it was showing before.

Near Caroline a silver punched the counter producing cracks in the stone. A strongarm.

"It was Lakeland! There are losing in the North so they came and attacked the South!" he screamed.

Suddenly the imagines on the screen froze and a different song started playing. It was an old red song. A figure covered with woof appeared. Only the eyes were showing and Caroline knew those eyes. Lexi.

"We are the Scarlet Guard and we defend freedom and equality among all the human beings alive, starting with the reds.

You consider yourselves owners of the world, kings, gods. But you empire is coming to an end. Until you do not consider us as humans, as equals, the war will knock in your houses. Not in the battle field but in your cities. In the streets. Where you live. You do not see us so that is why we are everywhere.

We will rise, red as the dawn"

And with that it finished the streaming. The silver blonde came back to the screen but Caroline didn't stay to hear what she had to say. She wasn't that stupid. She had to get to her little sister and protect her.

She was running towards Jenna's store when she saw a nymph almost drowning a red.

"Who are the Scarlet Guard?" she scream.

"I. DO. NOT. KNOW!" the red begged for air while speaking.

The nymph hit him again. Caroline continued running, she needed to find Elena. Suddenly a strike of water hit her. It was another nymph.

"You red! You must pay" it said. They didn't even want to know if she knew about the Scarlet Guard.

"I don't know who they are!" was all Caroline could say before the woman started drowning her. The woman with her power threw Caroline inside the river. Now she was truly drowning. She could feel her life escaping her as the water filled her lungs. Everything she did everything she could have done. All her hopes and the lack of it dying within her.

That was when a _shivers_ went all over her body. Suddenly she wasn't drowning anymore. Caroline than got up without giving herself time to recover and ran.

Elena was already outside the store. "Care! I was so worried" She grabbed her sister for a hug. "Did you get what you came for?"

"No" Caroline replied giving herself the time she needed to recover her air. "C'mon, Lena, we have to go" and she grabbed her sister taking them to the exit.

"Fast! Before they close the gates" Elena warned.

They reached the exit. There were a crowed of reds and few scared silvers in the middle. Elena started moving towards one of them before Caroline could notice. Her sister was a magician at sewing but she was definitely not a robber. The silver noticed what she was doing before she got the wallet out of his pocket. Suddenly someone smacked her towards the floor.

"That is not the time to steal wallets" both of men say. Suddenly they are four. Six. Eight. Ten.

 _A cloner._

"She didn't mean to! She is just a silly child!" I beg.

"I'm only a silly child" Elena screamed while she tried to kick the cloner that held her.

The cloners laughed. A scaring laugh.

Caroline ran towards her sister but one of them got into her way and held her.

"What is this?" the guard approached.

"A thief" the cloner answered without hesitation.

"You know the law, girl" the guard said to Elena.

"Yes" she answers calm with her head down.

Caroline screamed that it was her fault, her idea, she should be the one to be punished. But they didn't listen. They grabbed Elena's hand, _her sewing hand_ , and smashed it. Caroline could hear the sound of bones breaking.

* * *

Caroline took her sister home, and left before her mother understood what was happening. She knew that if she went to any hiding place Stefan would end up finding her. Caroline only wanted to be alone. So she went to the old bar in the end of road where she usually went to steal from the drunks.

She entered the bar as usual and started stealing them. And as usual they did not notice. She needed money to buy an earring for Elena just like her other siblings did when they went to war.

Matt one they before leaving appeared with two earrings and he gave each sister one. Katherine did the same before leaving. Now it was Caroline's turn.

She would leave her sister alone, jobless only with three earrings. That was all her fault. _All her fault_. Her little sister life was ruined, and that was because of her. She shouldn't had involved Elena in her stupid plan.

Her vision was blurry.

She caused so much damage in one day. _She only caused damage._ That was the only thing she was good at _: destroy people's life. Hurt people._

It didn't took long for her pockets to get full. Drunks appeared each five minutes and she approached them with a smile on her face. They never noticed. No one noticed. She was invisible. She was a shadow and no one even notice a shadow.

It was midnight and she was still outside the bar. The moon was a reminding of how long she had been out running from reality. _Running._ Another man emerged from the bar. ' _Only this one and then I'll go home'_ she told herself. She also had said that an hour ago.

She get close to the blonde man who had just left the bar. Her hand starts moving towards his pocket as usual, she done that so many times that it already bored her. She was close, she could feel getting close to the walled. The man's hand closed in Caroline's wrist with a strange heat and force. He took her away from the shadows. He turned to her and the fire within his eyes scared Caroline. But she wasn't afraid of the punished he wanted to give her. She deserved.

"Thief" he said with a strange surprise in his voice.

Caroline only blinks trying to contain the laughter. She didn't even has strength to deny it.

"Of course" is all she said.

He glared at her, analyzing each detail, from face to boots.

She also took this time to analyze him. He was beautiful. He had blonde short curls and green eyes. He was taller than her, but not that much. His face looked like an angel.

He took her away her thoughts by flipping a coin in the air. A tetrarch. A silver tetrarch, the one that is the equivalent of thousand crowns. He put it in her hand.

"This is more than enough for you to survive" he said before she could react.

"Why?" was all she asked after the long silence that followed.

"You need it more than me, love" was his short reply.

She wanted to throw the coin on his face and tell him to mind his own business. But something inside her didn't allow for so.

"Thank you" she hissed.

For some crazy reason he only laughed at her reluctant gratitude. "Don't go get hurt" he changed his position and got closer to her. He definitely was the strangest person she had ever met.

"You live in a village, right?" he wonderd.

"Yes" she answered mention for herself. Her clothes, her appearance. That was a quite obvious answer.

"Do you like? Living there I mean" if he hadn't proven that he was quite weird, now he had.

Caroline couldn't contain the laugh that grew with his question. "Someone like?" she asked back.

He surprised her by not giving her a fast answer like Stefan would. No. Her question shuts him and his face became dark.

"Are you going back?" he wondered out of nowhere, pointing towards the street.

"Why? Afraid of the dark?" Caroline teased. Shouldn't she be the one scared of the stranger standing in front of her? He was fast, strong and she was alone in the dark night.

His smirk grew back on his face, relieving her. "No, I just want to make sure you will keep your hands away from others for the night. You can't stay here sucking half of the bar, can you love?" he even laughed. "By the way, my name is Klaus" he added extending his hand.

Caroline refused his hand, still remembering the heat of his skin. She started walking towards the road. "I'm Caroline Forbes" she said over her shoulder.

It didn't take long for him and his long legs to reach her. "Are you always this pleasant?" he teased. Something made her feel being over analyzed, but the cold coin in her hand kept her in place. _Silver for Lexi, how appropriate._

"It must be nice walk if that much of money in your pockets." She stated dryly. "What do you do?" she wondered what job you give him such a high salary.

"I have a good job" is all that he said

"Not my case…" shed retrieved fast.

"But you are…" he started.

"Young. I'm 17" she completed. "Still have time before the recruiting"

"How long?" she could sense worry in his voice.

"Not long. Each day less" it hurt saying it out loud. _And Stefan had less time than her._

His words dried. He turned towards Caroline and was observing her, absorbing her, studying her as they moved towards the forest. _Thinking._

"And there is no job" he whispered more for himself than her.

His confusion intrigued her.

"That is why you steal" he finished.

"That's all I can do to help my family. Not like my parents accept what do, but my little sister job isn't enough" - _'wasn't enough'_ she completed on her mind.

Klaus only observed while she struggled with words. Thinking if she corrected herself or not. But she needs to keep appearances or she would crumble. And she was definitely not crumbling in front of a complete stranger.

"Have you been in Palace today?" he changed subjects.

"Yes. And a nymph tried to drown me thank you very much, even though I have complete no idea who the Scarlet Guard is" he gave her a small smile. "They did something to you?"

"Oh no, I was hiding. But I also had never heard about the scarlet guard" something seemed a little off on his voice. "May I ask what you were doing there, love?"

"I went to help my sister take a few things to her mistress. She works at Jenna's Store." He only lifted his eyebrows at her answer. "Okay I might had went to try and steal from the silvers. Not that I succeed at so." He laughed. "Now I know it was crazy but I was desperate" Caroline added.

"Do you have any other siblings?" he asked.

"Yep. Both of them are at war. Matt and Katherine. Matt is the golden boy, father and mother favorite son followed by Elena on the list. Then comes my older sister Katherine, she is the one everyone fall in love with. She loves play with boys´ heart but my parents are very proud of how smart she is. She is being transferred to General Gilbert because of her skills and brain."

"And you are the dreadful middle child?" he teased.

"Correct . Well the order of age is: Matt, Katherine, me, Elena. The other of preference is: Elena, Matt, Katherine, our neighbor Stefan and then me." She laughed at her own statement.

"Do not be so hard on yourself, sweetheart" he also was laughing. "Is this Stefan your boyfriend?"

"Not that it is your business but no. No boyfriend." Was he hitting on her? This Klaus guy was truly weird was all she could say but he definitely made her forget what truly worried her.

He continued questioning her. She felt being ripped apart but it didn't bother. She actually liked it and his mystery.

They reached the gates of the village.

"I guess this is where we say farewell" Caroline said quietly.

"Yes, it is" he answered carefully.

"So… Bye" she said awkwardly and turned towards the gate.

"Caroline," he grabbed her wrist and she felt that strange heat once again "I'm sorry for you. Things shouldn't be like this". She could see in the intensity of his eyes that he meant every word.

"There are worst lives. Do not pity me." And with that she left.

* * *

As she approached her house she could see her father working on the electricity of their home. He was smashing the circuit breaker.

"Dad what are you doing?" Caroline grabbed his arm forcing him to stop.

"The lights went out and we still had time with energy, I was trying to make it come back." He told her but she could notice that he had been crying.

"Daddy…" Caroline started quietly. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, daddy! Please do not hate me" she begged as the tears rolled down her face.

Her father surprised her by taking her in his embrace, instead of giving her a lecture. He also was tired of their life. Tired of their constant fight in order of surviving.

"It is not your fault, princess. It is not your fault!" he said in the middle of sobs. Her father was also crying.

"It is." She continued. "I destroy everything I touch" Bill only tightened his hold on her instead of answering with words.

It seemed that decades had went by until they let go of each other and it felt like centuries when one of them finally had courage to speak.

"I can't fix this damn thing" her father mentioned to the panel.

"Let me try" Caroline moved towards the circuit breaker. She ended up touching a wire that wasn't protected, shivers went all over her body and the energy came back.

"I think your old man here is getting rusty" her father said forcing a smile on her face.

"Never" the girl replied. "Does mom knows you are down here?" her father never left the house since he came back from the army. He couldn't bare the pity looks people gave him, or how they pretended nothing wrong happened to him.

"No" was his quiet answer. "And you will not tell her, promise?" Caroline nodded. "We can't give her false hope that everything will go back to what was before. I'm not the same man, Caroline. And neither she is the same woman, she just doesn't want to see it" he them lost himself in his thoughts.

Caroline didn't dare to bring her father back to reality, she actually was relieved with his wonder, it gave her more time of running from reality also.

"Let's get inside" but he noticed the worry in her eyes. "They are already sleeping. We will deal with everything tomorrow" he kissed her forehead and went to the house.

Caroline followed him, they gave each other quiets goodnights and went to each room. When she finally reached her room her first vision was Elena sleeping like a mummy with her attached to a sling. Her vision got blurry with the image.

Caroline didn't dream that night.

* * *

A loud noise woke her in the morning, It was a trumpet. _The guards inspection._ But something was off. That was when Caroline reminded that they already had the summer inspection that year. Another one? It wasn't something impossible, just unusual. Actually not if you thought about the previous day occurring she told herself.

Caroline helped Elena get down the bunk bed and got their IDs. They went to the living room waiting for her father allow the mass of guards almost destroy their house, _as usual_. Bill went to the door, and opened already giving space for the troop to get in.

Wasn't a troop knocking in their door. There was only a servant girl, and a guard.

"We wish to speak with Caroline Forbes" the brunette stated.

All of her family eyes fall on her, so she unconsciously took a step forward. That was her end. Either she was being recruited before her birthday, or they found out the truth of her being a thief and were here to rest – _no, kill her_.

"You have being submitted to work as a servant in Castle" the girl continued.

No one on her family could contain the surprised looks and sounds that followed.

"How…" her mother started but she didn't bring herself to end the question

Klaus. He must have arranged so. But Caroline didn't say a word; she wasn't so sure how her family would react at her interaction with the strange and handsome man.

"We must leave at once" the woman demanded.

Caroline turned to her mother first and hugged her. She could see how much the older woman was having a battle of emotions: relieve that Caroline wouldn't go to war, sorrow that she was saying goodbye to her daughter and worry of how long the job would last. She them moved towards her father, he, different than Elizabeth, was crying, almost sobbing; and Caroline fought hard to not giving into her own tears.

She them moved towards Elena. They hugged each other and the blonde whispered "I'm sorry for not giving you an earring". Then she retrieved to look at her sister's eyes "Promise me you will be have and be a good girl?" Elena nodded. Caroline then kissed her sister's forehead abd left without looking back.

* * *

The guard leaded them towards the silver village. They passed towards Enzo's trailer. Stefan's last change. How ridiculous life was, she was now safe and with the money that would save her best friend, she just never got to save him.

She failed.

"I'm Davina. Davina Clare" the brunette said bringing Caroline back from her thoughts.

"Davina?" Caroline froze on her place. No. It couldn't be.

Davina and Caroline were really close when they were kids. She brunette even had a big crush on Matt. One day they were playing in the playground messing with Stefan and In the next Davina were nowhere to be seen. Caroline was 7.

If losing her childhood best friend was traumatizing? Of course. But she got used to it, people got missing every day in the red village.

"I'm so sorry I didn't recognize you before! It feels like ages since I last saw you! I mean one day you were there and in the other you were gone!" Caroline started mumbling.

"It is alright" Davina chuckled. "My mother worked at the castle, when she died they took me in" she explained.

Before they could continue their chitchat the guard gave them a look making them shut up. The girls stayed quiet all the way till the castle. The streets of the silver villa were complete empty.

"Today they are all at the castle. There will be a party" Davina explained and gave her look meaning that she would explain it latter.

By the time they entered the castle Davina took her to a place where they changed her and put make up on her. They thought her the basics of how to serve people, how to direct a silver and where she should or should not go.

"Today is the ceremony where Prince Elijah will pick his wife" Davina told.

"I thought only the elder Prince would have to pick his wife at the ceremony" Davina shrugged her shoulders at Caroline's statement. "And what exactly is this ceremony?"

"You tell me. You are the one working on it" and before Caroline could panic Davina pushed the blonde towards a wooden door and inside a room full of servants. "Good luck" she whispered before leaving.

* * *

The one in charge, Josh, explained to Caroline that she would stay and each time the bell rang the first in the line would go serve the silver that requested and then come back in the end of the line.

The room that the ceremony was happening was called Labyrinth – how creative she thought. It was quite like a labyrinth actually. It looked like a cylinder and it had a lot of floors, each belonged to one of the royal families.

The silvers started arriving and they started ordering stuff. It was almost Caroline's turn when a deep voice echoed through the room.

"Stand for the royal family" and everyone obeyed. "All heirs from the houses Calore and Merandos; Princess Rebekah Mikaelson" a beautiful blonde with a bored look appeared in the middle of the room, everyone bowed and she went to her sit. "Prince Kol Mikaelson" a young black haired man appeared where the blonde stood before, but different than his sister the prince was quite amused by the scene.

Before the next prince got called the bell rang and it was Caroline's turn to serve the silvers. She went fast, she wanted to see the dreadful prince, the one she heard so many stories. She entered the servant's elevator going to the right box. The elevator gave her the perfect vision of here the prince should emerge, but it also exposed her.

"Prince Niklaus Mikaelson" a beautiful blonde started appearing, he was with his back turned to Caroline. When she turned towards her direction she froze in her place. _It was Klaus_. He didn't seem surprised as she as, actually he managed to lock their gazes. She never felt the emotion that grew with his look, it was something completely new for her and she could feel her cheeks burning red. And with the smirk that grew in his face she could say that he noticed.

She walked as fast as she could to the silvers that called for a servant. She could feel his intense gaze on her at every movement. _'Why this walls had to be of glass? Why?'_ She wondered.

When she arrived at the silvers table one of the man only mentioned to the cups. She took the jar standing in the corner of the room and poured the yellow liked in their cups. She went fast enough to see the elder prince, Finn, and his wife, Sage being introduced with a lot of enthusiastic applauses.

As she moved back to the servant's room she could still feel Klaus' gaze on her. Being in the room it didn't brought relief because they stayed side by side being exposed as a doll in a shop. At least they were _merciful enough_ allowing the servants to watch the mysterious ceremony, she thought with a bit of sarcasm.

Klaus' gaze only left her when they voice present the king and queen. "Queen Esther of house Merandos and Samsom" the queen entered the room in a blue silk dress. It was the most beautiful dress Caroline had ever seen. The had long blonde hair and a silver crown in her head. The crown had so many jewels that it shined. _The look of a goddess_ Caroline thought.

The queen bowed only to two families who used the same colors as her. Those must have been her birth houses. Then she directed to a table above her sons and daughter-in-law.

"Mikaelson VI, King of Norta, Flame of the North" Caroline hated the man even without ever being introduced to him. She hated the King for keeping that disgusting system living. The man itself wasn't as disgusting as she saw him. He was a blonde as most of his children. He was wearing silver from head to toes. The only colored that entered in his outfit belonged to his medallion which was yellow and red. He had silver crown that shined power and threats. She was pretty sure that if she touched on the upper part she would cut herself.

"Welcome!" the kings voice silenced all the applauses. "Today is a wonderful day for my family, it is the day we get to meet the newest member of our family, your future princess" all the lords cheered at his words. "It is a shame that such glorious day had to follow such dreadful one" and the silvers started screaming 'Death to the Scarlet Guard'. "Do not worry my friends, we are already taking care of the parasite that is the Scarlet Guard, along with all of our enemies" the lords cheered.

"Now let's go back the pleasant subjects and the reasons we are all gathered here today. Today my soon Prince Elijah Mikaelson shall meet his wife in our legendary tradition." The entire room went from clapping to cheers. "I present to you my third son, from the houses Calore and Merandos, Prince Elijah Mikaelson" a black haired man entered the room. He had a livid face and something in him showed that he was far more approachable than his other siblings, yet something warned Caroline that he should also be feared.

Before king Mikael said, Caroline had forgotten that he was the third. The royal family had had an older child, a girl called Freya. She was blonde Caroline recalled. The little girl died on during one attack that happened in New Orleans, her aunt, Esther's sister: Dalia, died with her. That happened when the war in the south was at it worst. Caroline's mother almost died with princess. She was part of the guard. After that, the Norta generals created new strategies and retaliated, winning the war in that part of the country.

The prince only bowed and made his way with the king to sit with the Queen. Before sitting, he took his glass and finally spoke. "The Test shall begin"

* * *

And this is all for this year. 

I hope you guys like it!

I wish you all a happy new year!


	3. Chapter 3

_**Hey everyone!**_

 _ **Sorry that it took forever for this chapter. It is just that it didn't turn out as I imagined. This is the shortest chapter I have ever written.**_

 _ **I promise that the next chapter will be posted until the end of the week!**_

 _ **Hope you like it!**_

* * *

 _ **When we least expect it, life set us a challange to test our courage and wilingness to chance;**_

 _ **-** The Devil and Miss Prym, Paulo Coelho_

* * *

The floor in the middle of the arena opened and a beautiful girl emerged from it. "I present you lady April, from the house Young" an old man said from a table across the room.

Lady April was a marvelous brunette; she looked like she was 16 or something – too young for the prince. The lady was wearing a beautiful green gown, the same color as the man who said her name.

Caroline thought that the girl would only stay there looking pretty, or maybe show her talent, what she never expected was what happened next. Suddenly branches started appearing out of nowhere, followed by flowers of different types. It was the most beautiful scene she had ever seen. It was so pure and so graceful.

The branches started taking form, walking, the flowers turned to thorns and what was innocent became deadly. Caroline didn't know if she should be amazed or scared. At least the girl's powers were clear now, she was a greeny.

Everyone applauded lady April and she directed towards the table of her family. She left her work there probably to show off Caroline thought. She caught a glimpse of the table where prince Eijah and his parents were, they didn't showed the small interest in what the girl had just done. Actually they seemed bored.

Curiosity got the best of her so she also looked to where the other members of the royal family were standing to see if there were acting like they brother and parents. Princess Rebekah didn't even bother to look at the arena, she was playing with her jewelry, the other prince, Finn, had the same boring look, and his wife was paying attention to her husband only. Prince Niklaus was the only one who didn't seem bored but he wasn't paying attention in the contestant as well, he had his eyes fixed on Caroline.

Another girl emerging from the middle of the arena took Caroline's attention. "We from house Agron are proud to present lady Emily" another brunet appeared in the middle of the arena. Among with the girl, it appeared a bowl of water. She was a nymph just like the silver who attacked Caroline the day before.

Lady Emily showed everyone what Caroline already: how water can be lethal. After her there were others contestants that Caroline didn't payed much attention since the rest of the silvers started asking for servants like crazy. Just like the royal family, they weren't intrigued by girls.

"Of course the Marshall girl will win" said an old black haired man. "It is ridiculous that they even had this nonsense made" he complained while giving his cup to Caroline. "Tyler, this should help you decide which of these ladies you want as your wife"

"None of them is good enough for my darling boy" the woman, who Caroline assumed was Tyler's mother said.

"Don't you worry, mother, I do not want to get married just now" the boy, Tyler, assured his mother. "I want to enjoy my single life as much as I can"

"Sorry, son, but this is not happening. I need you married so I will have the alliance that will provide me the influence to become the prime minister" his father said matter of factly.

"Whatever you say dad" an annoyed and angry Tyler answered.

* * *

Caroline left before she could listen to the rest of the arguing.

The silvers ordered for servants like crazy. Caroline couldn't even pay attention in the other girls who present themselves to the prince. She was serving the family she recognized as the Agron clan when Lady Hayley Marshall finally appeared in the arena.

Hayley Marshall was a beautiful brunette and even in these distant Caroline could feel her determination and confidence. The lady wasn't wearing a gown as the others; instead she was wearing black leather pants with a jacket matching it and black high boots. She also had metal accessories all over the outfit.

The girl then started showing her power. All of the metals she had on her started leaving her outfit and were flying throw the arena. It was beautiful. Then all of the metal objects in the all of the boxes floated and joined her accessories in the air. But it wasn't enough for her, she had the room trembling, and pipes appeared from everywhere. The arena was moving and everything was being thrown towards the electric shield.

Caroline was terrified. She was one of the objects being thrown towards the shield. She was being forced to face her death. Funny how life worked, huh? She had just being saved of a dreadful death in the battlefield, just to die in a stupid ceremony. She knew she would be the first to die among her siblings, she just never expected to be so soon.

Would they tell the truth to her family? How would her parents react? Would her older brother and sister be informed? And most important: God also saw the reds as dust? Or they were all the same after death?

She could feel the energy of the shield. She could feel the electricity flowing through it; she could feel how close she was. There was no scape – not that it had any way of saving herself before. Caroline closed her eyes ready to face the inevitable.

She wasn't scared anymore; actually she had just accepted her death. She was ready for whatever came after. She finally reached the shield. The electricity took over her body. But It wasn't like she was dying, actually it felt like she was being born again. Her entire body felt on fire, she felt shivers all through her body. The feeling didn't even stop when she hit something hard. She hit the floor.

She started getting up, and could see her clothes in flames. Her body was full of energy and it was shacking frenetically. She looked to the crowed, they were all in shock just like her, but they were also afraid. Caroline then took notice of the brunette next to her, lady Hayley. The girl was furious and shocked at the same.

The Marshall girl put all of the metal objects in the air again and then threw them towards Caroline. All the blonde red could do was try to protect herself by lifting her hand. She closed her eyes waiting for the impact, but it never came. When she finally opened it she saw her own electric shield protecting her from the silver fury.

The room fell in utter silence.

Reds and silvers were taking their time to process what had just happened. But they all were taken from their thoughts by the king screaming "Guards"

Before Caroline could notice, every guard in the room were running towards her, so she did what anyone in her shoes would do, she ran like she never run before. She escaped by the entrance that the royal family entered the arena. She had no idea where she was going; just that she had to get as far away from these silver as possible.

She went from one endless corridor to the other. That place looked like a maze. She could feel all of those little eyes following her – the cameras. A few guards appeared in front of her, shivers went all over her body, and a kind of lighting went from her to the guards. She ran passed them until she reached a room.

The door was in the other side of the room, she started running towards it but a wall of fire emerged out of nowhere. It was cornering her. The smoke was getting in her lungs and it burned. Caroline could feel life fading from her once more. That was: the third or fourth time that day? She had already lost count.

Suddenly strong and hot arms embrace her from behind. Caroline tried to fight it but she hadn't the force for so. But she also didn't feel like running from those arms, it was like she knew them.

"I'm sorry, love" said the man holding her.

And everything went dark.


	4. Chapter 4

_**Hello everyone!**_

 _ **I'm so sorry that it took so long!**_

 _ **I started college (if you want to know what i'm doing: law) and I had a lot to read and do so I couldn't finish this chapter until now.**_

 _ **I hope you guys like this! I quite enjoyed how this chapter turned out.**_

* * *

 ** _"Memories do not always soften with time; some grow edges like knives."_**

 ** _-_** _Barbara Kingsolver_ _, The Lacuna_

* * *

" _Katherine!" Caroline screamed as she tried to catch her older sister. "Katherine, wait for me!" the older girl tried to sound angry_ _but she couldn't contain her laughter._

" _Stop complaining, lazy bear!" Katherine replied as she reached their secret spot._

" _Gosh! Is it like you are getting faster!" Caroline tried to catch her breath as she approached the brunette._

" _I think you are the one who is getting slower!" the older Forbes joked as she helped her little sister get up the stone._

 _The two of them just stood there looking for the amazing vision in front of them. Both were lost in their thoughts. The day next everything would be different._

" _I hadn't realized how much I would miss this until now" Katherine broke the silence._

 _It took forever for Caroline open her mouth. She didn't want to watch her sister leave. She didn't want to say goodbye. "Aren't you scared?" she whispered._

" _Yes" the brunette took a long pause before continuing. "But I'm not scared of the war, Care. I'm scared of what will happen with my family. I'm scared I will never be able to see the ones I love once more. I'm scared that I won't be here to help you when you go through your cleaning crises. I'm scared that I won't be here for your birthdays anymore. Or that I won't be here to help mom keep her sanity. I'm scared that I won't see Elena go through her first kiss, or love. I'm scared I will never get to hug my dad ever again. I'm scared that I won't be there when those who I love need me the most"_

 _Both girls looked back to the horizon, watching as the sun going down and it's reflection in the river. After what seemed like ages Caroline finally said: "I'm scared of a life without you in it"_

" _No matter if I'm at war, home, or dead; I will always be with you. You are my sister, my other half. You are stuck with me, just as I'm stuck with you!" so Katherine took Caroline's hand in hers, as a way of reassuring the younger girl._

" _Till the end of times?" the blonde asked._

" _Till the end of times" Katherine answered and took Caroline in her arms for a hug._

* * *

Caroline started waking up, confused of where she was. The bed she was laying wasn't exactly a bed, it had the format of a bed, but there was no mattress. The room was made of a different kind of stone. There wasn't anything electric, not even the lights, which were candle lights.

"You are awake" a male voice said as soon as she started moving. "The king and queen are waiting for you!" as a way to make her get up quickly. She then heard the man walking and directing to someone else "Go pick Sir Marcel"

"There are some clothes so you can change. We will give you some privacy" and he left allowing Caroline to get change.

The outfit they left for her was quite ugly. It wasn't the uniform the prisoners wore but it also wasn't as comfortable as the servants' uniform. Caroline put the common shirt and big trousers and waited.

Some minutes later a different man entered her cell. He wasn't carrying a key or anything that would be able to open the door, and in that moment she realized that there was no way to open her damn cell. The metal bars were locked in the floor, the only way to get her out would be by destroying it.

"I'm a magnetron" the man said as If the was explaining something. He laughed at her irritated expression. "Please step back, Miss Forbes" and she obeyed. The man motioned to the bars and they were floating, just like what Lady Marshall did at her presentation. He then moved the bars aside and gesture for her to get out of her jail.

"Really amazing what you did back at the Arena" the man said giving her a smile, Caroline just replied with a disbelieving look. "Let's not keep the royal family waiting" he said as they moved towards the door.

The guards guided Caroline to a room where the entire royal family was standing. By their expressions she could tell that they weren't amused even a little with what she had done.

King Mikael approached her and put a folder with the blonde's name in her hand. "Caroline Forbes" the King began. "Born in the Red Villa in Mystic Falls. Mother: Elizabeth Forbes. Father: William Forbes. Two older siblings: Mathew and Katherine Forbes. A younger sister: Elena Forbes. Your first job started yesterday as a maid in the Castle. You have no special talent or connections. You have even been beating up a few times for stealing small objects, never something of big value or important. You are as common as any other red" he finished.

"Tell me something that I don't have in these reports?" he asked calmly after a short pause.

"You basically said everything. I'm nothing special" she replied drily

"So what was that yesterday?" the King hissed.

"I have no idea. You are just as surprised as I am" Caroline answered truthfully.

The King didn't seem to believe her, and his calm face was replaced by a rage that scared Caroline "I will you give you only one more chance: what was that yesterday?" he screamed.

"I. DON'T. KNOW" she was the one who hissed this time.

The king smashed the table "I tried avoiding this, girl. You brought this to yourself". He then turned to the Queen "Esther, go ahead"

The Queen walked forward until she and Caroline were eye to eye. "Let's find out the truth, shall we?"

Everything started going dark, before it all faded completely she heard a worried voice "Mother!"

* * *

" _What shall we name her, Lizzie?" Bill asked his wife as he played with the small hand of the newest member of the Forbes family._

" _Caroline" her mother answered softly with a small and genuine smile. "A free woman"_

" _Perfect" her father answered mirroring Elizabeth's smile._

 _The scene changed, now Caroline was already 14 years old, it was Matt last year at home. Matt, Katherine and Caroline were together skipping class._

" _Carebear has a boyfriend!" Katherine exclaimed._

" _What? Who? When this happened?" Matt inquired surprised._

" _I. DON'T. HAVE. A. BOYFRIEND." Caroline screamed to Katherine. "I only kissed a boy, and now Kat is all OMG CAROLINE HAS A BOYFRIEND"_

" _It was your first kiss! And he told his older brother that he wants to be your boyfriend!" Katherine replied._

" _Wait! Are we talking about Stefan?" a confused Matt asked._

" _NO" both girls answered with 'ugh' faces._

" _The man in question is no one less no one more than Lucien Castle" Katherine told her brother._

" _Lucien? Seriously? Caroline that guy is a dick!"_

" _First of all: don't you 'seriously' me. That is my catchphrase! Second of all: I ONLY KISSED HIM! I KNOW HE IS A DICK! A GORGEOUS DICK, BUT EVEN SO A DICK! I WILL NOT DATE HIM!" She said matter of factly. Well that had been a lie, she started dating Lucien two weeks after that conversation and they stayed together for three months and six days._

" _I'm counting on it!" Matt gave his sister a reproving look._

" _Katherine is dating Damon Salvatore!" Caroline basically threw the information at her brother._

" _Damon? Really?" Matt looked really pissed at his sister. "I thought you were giving yourself the value you deserve and not going after stupid fuckboys"_

" _Shut up, Matt!" Katherine replied angry. "It doesn't matter anyway! He will be recruited next month"_

* * *

Caroline kept jumping from memory to memory, without a chronological order. It just kept happening as flashbacks, as if she was living them again. The happy and the sad. She felt it all again.

She relived the day Elena was born, the she met Stefan, her times with her grandparents. Mat's departure, then Katherine's, the day Stefan lost his job. She felt it all again. All the joy, the glee, the agony and the sorrow.

Without a warning the memories ended and she was back at the room filled with the royal family. The Queen was standing in front of her; she wasn't satisfied with what she had seen. Caroline could feel tears rolling down her face.

"The girl is a simple red. Nothing important! Nothing!" the queen screamed the last word. "What are you?"

"What shall we do with her?" Prince Finn asked. "Kill her?"

"No" a voice, which Caroline realized it belonged to Klaus, emerged. "The whole castle is talking about her. We can't simply kill her, what would we tell them?"

"We will tell that she is the lost daughter of a great lord" King Mikael answered. "She will live with us until we can know for sure what she really is"

"Do you truly believe the lords will believe in this story? This is madness!" Prince Kol manifested.

"They are stupid, they will believe!" Princess Rebekah replied. "They only care about themselves and their power; they won't have enough curiosity on someone else's life"

"Rebekah is right" Prince Elijah finally spoke. "So what will be her story, father?"

The king took small time thinking, until he finally came with the solution. "She is the lost daughter of our great lord Grayson Gilbert and lady Miranda Gilbert. Miranda was our greatest general. She was the one Caroline's adoptive mother served. Miranda and Grayson died in battle. They were the only Gilberts alive. Knowing that the battle could cost their lives, Miranda gave her precious daughter for her most loyal red, Elizabeth. And now after years, the long lost daughter is home again. "

"You could become a writer, father! Your imagination is incredible!" Klaus – Prince Niklaus – said sarcastically.

"Quiet, boy!" the King said without even glancing at the prince.

"I have one condition" Caroline finally had courage to speak, the entire family looked as if surprised she was still in the room.

"The red is feisty! I like that!" Prince Kol said amused.

"Please, do tell me which is your condition" the King inquired amused just like his son.

"I wish that my siblings dismissed of the army, but continue receiving their payments" she said firmly.

"That's all? Really?" Princess Rebekah asked surprised.

"No. I also wish that you find a job for a fisherman, he's name is Stefan Salvatore." Caroline finished. _After all she found a way to save her friend_.

"Consider it done" the King said. He then opened the door and came back with the magnetron who opened her cell. "Lady Gilbert, this is Sir Marcel Gerard Marshal, he will be your personal guard"

"Okay" was all she managed to say.

"Esther and Rebekah, would you be kind and accompany Lady Gilbert to her chambers?" the king asked in a much soft tone than the one he was speaking only seconds before.

"It will be our pleasure" the Queen took Caroline by the arm and the Princess did the same in the other side.

Caroline got herself wondering if war wouldn't have been better.

* * *

Caroline woke in a strange place once again, the difference was that this wasn't a cell but a luxurious bedroom. This bedroom was bigger than her entire house. Caroline wasn't allowed to absorb every inch of the amazing room, because three maids entered the room.

"Davina, " Caroline began, she needed to see a familiar face but before she could continue her sentence, the girl interrupted her.

"Good morning, Lady Gilbert" she began. "I'm Davina, this is Anna and we are your maids" she informed and they started doing their job without giving Caroline another word. It was quite obvious that they had been instructed to not talk with the blond.

She thought that they would only help her to dress but the stripped her and started paiting Caroline's face arms and chest with a white liquid. After applying it at her full body they did her makeup. Caroline had never put makeup before, that was her first time, and she couldn't deny that she loved it. The maids then used a weird hot stick that gave Caroline's crazy curls truly curls form.

After that they helped Caroline get dressed in magnificent clothes. Although the why they were dressing her like that, the red couldn't deny that she was loving it. Caroline always dreamt about wearing those beautiful clothes that she saw the silvers wearing. She had always been found of fashion but because of her family lack of money she never could truly enjoy it, although she did tried to do her best to look fashionable with her simple and old clothes.

Davina led Caroline towards a mirror that stood in her bedroom, when Carolina looked at herself she couldn't contain the 'wow'. She barely recognized herself. Her skin was too pale, almost as she didn't have blood on her veins. She looked cold, emotionless; she looked like a true silver.

Looking at the girl standing in front of her in the reflection - the girl who didn't looked like the happy and light living Caroline Forbes - she realized how her life had drastically changed. How her reality had just been ripped away from her and replaced by completely new one. Caroline Forbes was dead, she didn't exist anymore. The girl who lived in the red villa her whole life and happened to find a short of happiness there wasn't nothing more than a memory. That blond woman full of light was an old tale, a tale forbidden to be reminded or told to anyone. Instead of that girl who had 3 siblings, now there was Lady Caroline Gilbert, from an ancient royal silver dynasty.

 _She was now nothing more than a pawn in a chest game._

 _A chest game played by devils disguised as gods._

* * *

 ** _Shorter than usual I know and I'm sorry..._**

 ** _And sorry for the lack of Klaroline but I promise that in the next there will be plenty of it!_**


	5. Chapter 5

**_"Can you remember who you were, before the world told you who you should be?"_**

 ** _-_** _Post Office , Charles Bukowski_

* * *

The maids left Caroline right after helping her change. She was now waiting for further instructions, she had completely no idea what she was supposed to do or go, so she just stayed there set in the reading chair waiting.

After what appeared to be some agonizing minutes there was nock on her door and then it opened without waiting for her invitation. The person in the door was no one less than Klaus – Prince Niklaus, Caroline corrects herself. He was about to say something when Caroline spoke first.

"I may be new in this whole royalty thing but I'm pretty sure you shouldn't be here. In my room" she said tried to sound indifferent as much as she could. After all he was the one who brought this all upon her; he was the one who brought her to this place.

Prince Niklaus took a few steps towards her and Caroline took the same number of steps back. She was forced to stop because her feet got entwined in her dress, so she had to choose between falling or staying put. She chose the second.

"I came to apologize. Something that can't be done during an audience" he started but stopped as soon as he noticed her discomfort in the situation. His eyes trailed her upside down and his face took a different expression. It was as if he was trying to recognize the girl who tried to steal his wallet the other night. Caroline looked nothing like that girl anymore.

"I'm so sorry that I put you in this situation, Caroline" he seemed to truly mean it; he was showing as much compassion as a silver could and Caroline knew that.

"It is not like it is truly your fault. You were only trying to save me from war. And for that I'm grateful" Caroline didn't know why she was trying to make him feel better, but her compassion inside was bigger than any hatred she could ever have. She knew that it truly wasn't his fault.

The Prince's expression seemed to change to something Caroline couldn't recognize but it went back to its normal as fast as it appeared.

"My sister appears to have done a good job picking your clothes. This is a very appropriate dress" he stated as a way to change the heavy subject.

"Nothing in me is appropriate" Caroline replied dryly. "But yes, your sister really does have a good taste, your Highness"

His eyes shined with her statement and a smile appeared in his lips. "You know my name is Klaus, so please call me so"

"Fine, _Klaus"_ she replied irritated.

"Wonderful, _Caroline"_ he said in the same tone as her but he said teasing her, not irritated as the blond.

They stayed there looking at each other for minutes, seconds or hours, Caroline couldn't tell because she lost track of the time.

" _I'm sorry, love_ " he broke the silence.

 _I'm sorry, love. I'm sorry, love._

 _I'm_

 _Sorry,_

 _Love_

* * *

 _Suddenly strong and hot arms embrace her from behind. Caroline tried to fight it but she hadn't the force for so. But she also didn't feel like running from those arms, it was like she knew them._

" _I'm sorry, love" said the man holding her._

* * *

"It was you?" Caroline couldn't hide the shock in her face.

Klaus was the one who stopped her from running from that terrible place; he really was the one to blame.

"I could have escaped!" she stormed.

"Of course you would have passed the guards, the watch-guards, the security, the wall, the forest and then get to Mystic Falls just to realize you would have to run more because we would find you there?" he said impassive. "Stop you was the best I could do for you _and_ your family"

"I would have made it! You don't know me or what I'm capable of" she hissed.

"Oh I know that the King would search the earth to find the little electric girl" he said irritated.

"Don't call me that!" the nickname was painful. "That was what I heard your father call me"

Klaus gave her a cold chuckle. "He is not my father. He is my siblings' father. Not mine".

The tension in his face warned Caroline that it was best to drop the subject.

"Ah" was all she could say.

She looked around her room for the first time since she arrived. It was the most elegant thing Caroline had ever seen in her life: marble and glass, silk and feathers.

"Last morning I woke up as someone," she started mumbling more for herself than to him "and now I have to be someone completely different".

"You can do it" the prince took one more step towards her. His heat filled the ambient in a way that tickled in Caroline's skin. But she didn't lift her head

"How do you know?" she whispered.

"Because you _have to"_ he bit his lip observing her face. "This world is just as dangerous as it is beautiful" he started. "Who is not useful, who makes mistakes, can be discarded. You can be _discarded._ And if you get discarded you would miss all this world has to offer: _great cities, art, and music. Genuine beauty. And you could have it all._ All you have to do is **play along** "

Caroline never thought before of the wonders of this world, being a red never allowed her to do that. But even know that possibility wasn't nothing more than a faraway dream. She knew she not only could be discarded but she would be. But that wasn't the only treat she had to face.

"So, the moment I slip it could be my last moment?" Caroline inquired.

He didn't speak but she could see the answer in his eyes. _Yes_

"And me? And… " she looked at her hand as if she could see those infernal sparkles.

Klaus lifted her chin so she was facing him. _Eye to eye_.

"You will learn to deal with it" he said examining her eyes. A little smirk grew in his face as his gaze shifted between her eyes to mouth to eyes again "And I believe you might even embrace it"

"How can you be so certain?" Caroline's voice was so weak she was surprised he heard her.

Klaus lifted his hand. It had a weird device in its wrist. It was a kind of bracelet with two metal tips that made a 'click' and released sparks. Instead of disappearing in a blink of an eye, the sparkles shined until they turned into a bright red fire and produced an explosion of heat.

 _A burner._

He was a prince, and a dangerous prince. The flames faded as fast as they came. Leaving nothing more than Klaus encouraging smile and the vibration from the cameras _hiding somewhere. Watching everything._

Someone coughed at the door. It was Sir Marcel.

"Marcel" Klaus greeted happily. "I see you came to collect Lady Gilbert" Klaus took a few steps away from Caroline. She missed his heat by the act.

"And I see your highness wasted no time in breaking the King's rules, right?" Marcel chuckled. "Nik, you are lucky I'm the one that they trusted. But of course you already knew that, right?" the guard lifted his eyebrow.

"You wound me with such allegations" and both men were laughing as old friends. Which Caroline realized they were, since Sir Marcel called Klaus by one of his nicknames.

Klaus turned to Caroline "Well, love, I'm leaving you in good hands. I trust Marcel more than I trust my own family. He is a good person, that is why he is the black sheep of the Marshal family" both of them chuckled.

Klaus took Caroline's hand and kissed it knuckles leaving a trace of his powers on her skin. "See you soon, sweetheart" and left.

"Do not worry Caroline, I can be just as charming as the prince" Sir Marcel joked as he lead her through the long corridor.

* * *

"Where are we going, sir Marcel?" Caroline inquired.

"To the ballroom" Sir Marcel answered. "Call me Marcel, please" he asked. "I hate these title things. Out of this place they mean nothing"

"Okay, Marcel" she was already finding herself very fond of him.

"I knew your parents when I was a little boy. Lady Gilbert was lovely woman. Always so gentle, no one knew how she could be such a wonderful general and be such good woman" he told Caroline about her fake mom. Caroline's real mother, Elizabeth, used to say the same thing about her former commander.

"My mom – I mean – Elizabeth, the red that raised me always said the same thing. Before I went to sleep she would tell me stories about this wonderful woman that could make the world fall in love with her but also could kick anyone's ass" Caroline told with a small smile on her face. Whenever Caroline couldn't sleep, her mother would tell her such stories. Her mother had always been a kind of a super hero for her.

"And your red mom how was she like?" Marcel inquired after a long pause.

"She was harsh but she was a loving person. I mean her goal in life is to protect her children no matter what. She is a wonderful woman" Caroline couldn't help but give a wide smile while talking about her mother. She was harsh on Caroline but that was because she hated how exposed Caroline was while robbing. She hated the fact that one of her precious children could get arrested because she wasn't able to sustain the family.

Marcel conducted Caroline towards a small room, the doors of the room suddenly closed and it started moving.

"This is a lift" Marcel began as soon as he noticed Caroline's panic. "It transports us through the floors, so we don't have to use the stairs" he explained.

The doors opened and they left the "lift" as Marcel had called it, she had never been so grateful in her life.

But that gratitude ended as soon as she saw Queen Esther approach her.

"Your Majesty" Marcel bowed as soon as they approached the woman. Caroline followed giving a small, weird and clumsy reverence.

The Queen took her arm and led her through the corridors completely ignoring Marcel who was following them.

" _The Gilberts were a family of oblivious"_ Caroline herd the Queen's voice but she did not saw her mouth move. The woman was using her powers to communicate with the young blond. Esther was inside her head. _"They could blow things with a touch_ ," she continued, her voice sound omnipresent _"just like Aurora from the Ceremony"._ The older woman projected a flash of the girl's presentation in Caroline's mind. _"Your mom, Miranda Sommers, was a tempestuous just like the rest of House Summers. The tempestuous could control the climate until certain point. The mix of both powers created yours. It is not common but it is possible. Do not tell anything more in case someone asks"._

" _What do you want from me?"_ Caroline's voice trembled in her head.

Esther's smile appeared in her head and it hurt; that was the only answer she got.

" _Remember the person that you have to be, and remember it well_ " she continued ignoring Caroline's question. _"You are pretending that you are a silver pretending to be raised as a red. Now you are red in the head, silver in the heart"_

A chill went through the girl's body.

" _From today, until the end of your days, you need to lie. Your life depends on this_ _ **, little electric girl**_ _"_

The Queen called for Marcel and stormed towards a door at the end of the corridor that had two guards and left Caroline alone with her thoughts.

Caroline used to think that there was a only one division in this world: silvers and reds, rich and poor, kings and slaves. However, there was much more between this two extremes, things Caroline couldn't understand, and she was right in the middle of them. She grew up wondering everyday if there would be enough food at dinner. That moment she was in a palace about to be devoured alive.

The words _"red in the head, silver in the heart"_ wouldn't leave Caroline's thoughts, so she used it as a guide for her actions. She opened her eyes to contemplate the palace neither Caroline Forbes or Caroline Gilbert ever imagined they would see but her lips stayed firm. _Caroline Gilbert got impressed but she kept her emotions for herself. She was cold and insensible._

The doors at the end of the corridor open as soon as Caroline reached them; it revealed the biggest ballroom Caroline had even seen. She believed she would never get used to the brutal size of this place. She crossed the doors and ran into a staircase. The steps took her to a wide space where all the Houses were awaiting for her arrival. Once again, the silvers were grouped by colors. Some whispered between them, Caroline concluded that they were probably talking about her and her little show. On a platform, almost 1 meter* from the ground, stood Mikael and Esther. _They never missed a chance to show their power above others._ Or they were too conceited or too meticulous.

That was when Caroline realized that _look powerful makes you powerful._

The princes and the princess were matching; they were all using red and black.

"The Royal Ceremony is always a fortunate event, representing the future of our great nation and the ties that keep us strongly together in front of our enemies" the King began to the crowed that still didn't saw Caroline at the bottom of the ballroom. "But, just as you saw yesterday, the Royal Ceremony brought us more than just our future queen"

The king than turned to Esther, and took her and in his with a devoted smile. Caroline couldn't believe how the Queen could go from demoniac villain to a prudish queen. It was impressive.

"We all recall our bright hope against the darkness of war, our captain, our friend, general Miranda Sommers" Esther said.

A murmur, of love or sadness, ran in the ambient.

"She led the Iron Legion to victory, making the lines of war that had lasted for almost a hundred years back off. Feared by Lakeland, loved by our soldiers" she continued.

Normally Caroline wouldn't believe that any silver general was loved by their red soldiers, but General Gilbert was the only exception.

"Spies from Lakeland murdered our beloved friend Miranda. They crawled through our trenches and destroyed our only hope. Her husband, Grayson, died with her. In that horrible day the House Gilbert vanished from existence. Friends were ripped away from us".

Silence feel upon the room when the Queen made a pause to dry her tears – which Caroline was sure were fake. Some of the participants of the Royal Ceremony were restless. They didn't care about a dead General; neither did the Queen, not really.

Esther fixed her eyes in Caroline and everyone else followed her action. Some seemed confused, others didn't even recognize her. Others even focused on her dress. They knew the colors of the Gilbert house better than her, and understood who she was. Or at least what she pretended to be.

"Last day we witnessed a miracle" the Queen continued. "We saw a red girl fall in the arena like a lightning and show a power she shouldn't have".

The murmur returned, higher, and some of the silver even stood up. The Hayley girl seemed furious her brown eyes fixed on her. But what truly got Caroline's attention was a redheaded girl who was basically fuming.

"The King and I interviewed the girl endlessly in the hope of finding her origin" the Queen informed.

 _Interview… a curious euphemism for "searching her brain"_

"She is not red but she is indeed a miracle. My dear friends please give a warm welcome to her who returned to us: Lady Caroline Gilbert, daughter of Grayson and Miranda Gilbert. Lost, now found" the Queen concluded.

With a fast movement with her hand she called Caroline to join her. The girl obeyed.

She descended the stairs while the silvers forced applauses. Caroline was trying her best not to stumble. Her feet walked steady and her face stayed firm as she passed through that hundreds of faces reserved, threatening, untrusty. Once again she was alone against those people. She had never felt as naked as she was feeling at that moment, even being covered by layers of silk and powder. She thanked again for all the makeup; it was her shield between them and the truth of who she was. A truth that she didn't even understood.

She walked towards the vacant seat in the first row that the Queen gestured. The girls from the Royal Ceremony watched her, wondered why she was there and the reason suddenly she was so important. They were only curious, not angry. They looked at her with pity, sympathized with her the best they could with her sad story. She finally reached her seat between the redheaded girl and Hayley Marshal. _Great_ Caroline thought.

"Save from the same destiny as her parents, Lady Gilbert was taken from the front to a village less than 20 kilometers from here" this time was the King who spoke. "Raised by red parents, she worked as a red maid in the castle. And, last morning, believed to be one of them"

The sighs raised by those words made Caroline grit her teeth.

"Caroline is a rough diamond working in my own castle, daughter of my late friend right under my nose. But this is past. In atonement of my ignorance and in retribution of the great contributions to this kingdom accomplished by her mother and her house. I would to avail this moment to announce that Lady Caroline shall live with us, the royal family, and shall be treated as one of us. She is now duchess Caroline Gilbert".

They suppressed their shock and applauded. She was the first duchess of the new era. Caroline was a little shocked herself.

"Now my son Elijah would like to speak" the King mentioned to his second son.

Prince Elijah took his father place and began talking "I'm my father heir, born with privilege, power and strength. You owe me fidelity and I owe you, my people, life. It is my duty serve you and my kingdom the best way I can, and more".

Caroline could tell that Elijah had rehearsed that but it was impossible to pretend his ardor. He believed in himself, he believed he would be a good king…. or would die trying.

"I need a queen as willingly to the sacrifice as me to keep the order, justice and balance" The participants of the Royal Ceremony inclined in their seats waiting for his next questions. Not Hayley. She was with a malicious smile in her face, it didn't move.

"The woman I chose to bare a life with, the woman I chose to rule our kingdom with me is Lady Hayley" Elijah said at last.

There wasn't any sign of surprise, shock or emotion in her. The other girls, as much as they were with their hearts broken, they simply shrugged like they didn't care.

With a fluid grace Hayley climbed the stairs and joined Elijah. Her face barely focused on Elijah. She was contemplating the other participants. Enjoying her moment of glory.

When she looked at Elijah again, he said " By the eyes of my magnificent father and this noble court, I would like to ask your hand in marriage. I promise myself to you ,Hayley Marshall. Do you accept me?"

"I promise myself to you, Prince Elijah. I accept you" she answered.

* * *

Caroline survived the banquet: she listened without listening, looked without looking. Even the food – more food than she ate her entire life – wasn't fun in her mouth. She was supposed to be enjoying herself and have the best meal of her life she just couldn't.

"Lady Gilbert!" a black haired boy, which Caroline recognized as Tyler Lockwood approached. "It is a pleasure to meet you! I'm Tyler Lockwood. My father told me earlier that he and your parents were quite close"

"Nice to meet you too, my Lorde" Caroline smiled politely wanting to run from there. "Oh really? I didn't know" she gave a small pause before adding. "It's not like I know much about them anyway"

"That could change! If you wish we would be more then gladly to receive you at our chateau and tell old tales about them" he told her excited. Not much how she imagined him to be or any silver.

"That would be lovely" she replied.

Tyler left Caroline as soon as his mother called for him, he actually managed to light her mood a little bit.

"So you are the girl everyone is talking about, huh?" it was the redheaded girl from the ceremony she was accompanied by a man who looked a lot like her. "I'm Aurora De Martel and this is my brother Tristan" her smile fooled no one.

"It is a pleasure" Caroline replied the fake smile.

"I believe we will be seeing a lot of each other since we are quite close to the royal family. I'm Nik's girlfriend" as she saw Caroline's confused face" I mean Prince Niklaus' girlfriend, and Rebekah is just like a sister to me. My brother and Elijah are what you reds call buddies"

"You mean what the reds call, right? Just like you I'm silver. You know I may not have been raised in castle or anything, but that just doesn't change my blood" Caroline tried to sound as offended as a silver would.

"I didn't mean to offend you" Caroline knew that was a big fat lie. Aurora approached Caroline and whispered "Just a little warning, darling, stay away from my boyfriend. He like to enjoy new things now and then but he always comes back to me. So save yourself the trouble and stay as far away from him as your stupid little blonde head can understand. And I promise you that if you try anything I won't think twice before shredding you to pieces"

Aurora moved away from Caroline "I look forward in getting to know you" she clutched her claws on her brother in a possessive way and left.

Caroline astonished with what had just happened moved automatically way before another lunatic went to talk to her.

"Enjoying the party?" Klaus said from behind her.

"I just met your crazy girlfriend who said she would tear me in pieces if I ever got close to you" Caroline said matter of factly.

"I guess you talking about my brother Kol, since I don't recall having a girlfriend" he answered raising his brows.

"Short, redheaded, terrible fake smile, in my opinion is too possessive over her boring brother" Caroline listed.

"Aurora? She said she is my girlfriend?" Klaus seemed surprised. "We had a thing when we were younger but nothing more than that".

"Well, someone should inform her that!" Caroline replied.

"Why? You intend to get close to me?" Klaus smirked.

"Seriously?"

He chuckle and gave her a glass of a golden bubbly liquid. "Drink this!" Caroline only raised her brow. " _I dare you_ "

She sipped a little of the drink "This is amazing!"

"It is called champagne" He smiled as he observed her delight with the drink.

"This is truly wonderful!" Caroline said, for the first time in the night, happy.

"Nik! Finally found you" it was Prince Kol who called him, he was being followed by Prince Rebekah and another girl, a brunette Caroline had never seen. "We were waiting for you so we could go to our little hide away" he whispered the last part.

"Sorry, brother, I was a little occupied saving Caroline from pry eyes" Klaus replied with a chuckle.

"By pry eyes you mean bitch eyes, right? I saw Aurora talking to her earlier" the brunette said. "She looked like she would use her powers on Caroline right here. You definitely need to improve your taste in woman!"

She was quite close to the family Caroline thought. To be able to speak in such manners.

"Yeah, Nik, I don't know what you ever saw on that psycho" Kol added.

"Can we just go before it is too late?" Princess Rebekah asked annoyed.

"Fine, sister" Klaus calmed the girl, and then turned to Caroline. "Come with us" Caroline knew she had to at least pretend to think if she should go with them or not, but she was dying to find a way out of that party.

"Anywhere away from this people is a better place" Caroline replied.

"You go with Bonnie, so they won't notice" Prince Kol said as he and his siblings started moving.

"I'm Bonnie by the way. Bonnie Bennet" the brunette said. "I'm Kol's girlfriend since we were 15 years old and I grew up with them because my mother and Esther were quite close, so they are basically my family" Bonnie said.

"It is nice to meet you" Caroline replied shyly.

"I want you to know that you can find a friend in me. I know how this people can be mean" Bonnie gave the other girl a reassuring smile.

"Thank you!" Different then all the rest of silver that Caroline spoke, Bonnie seemed genuine, and gentle, and caring, and loving. She wasn't cold as the others, she showed compassion and a true compassion.

"We are here" she said as they passed a green curtain separating them from the party, behind the curtain there was a beautiful panting. Bonnie moved towards the panting, and pushed it.

 _It was a secret door._

"Welcome to the family" Bonnie said as she mentioned for Caroline to get in.


End file.
